She started up the gang plank, and Rayko and Apisa followed her. In turn, both Rayko and Apisa gave the captain passing glances. Apisa received one of simple, neutral courtesy, but Luxi glared at Rayko. Rayko had scowled at the same time. Upon seeing one another’s expressions, both women became more heated. When Nori tried to move up the gang plank, Luxi held out her hand.
She spoke in a loud voice. “I think it’s cute that you tried to fool me. Quite admirable, but you shouldn’t try to con a con.” She gently patted his cheek and moved up to the ship.
Once Nori stepped onto the deck, Luxi screamed out. “Alright, listen up you bunch of diseased nut-less river rats. We have a few special guests traveling with us.”
Despite the insult, all of the sailors stopped and watched Nori and the others with growing excitement. They clustered together and whispered to one another. Several of them nudged each other. Nori could only guess what lewd notions popped through their heads.
Luxi rested a hand on Rayko’s shoulder. “This is Rayko, and she’s the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant. She brought her two handmaidens with her. These ladies are off-limits, am I clear? Anyone who bothers them will be kissing the bottom of the river.” She moved up to Nori. “And this big ugly bastard is the one I told you about.”
Several of the sailors raised their eyebrows and gave appreciative nods toward Nori. Others beamed weighed glances toward him, as if wondering if they could successfully ride him for an extended period of time. Nori swallowed and kept a neutral facial expression.
“I mentioned that you’d be kissing the bottom of the river,” Luxi said. “He’s the guy who’s going to put you there. I’m simply going to watch and laugh as he exacts brutal mountain justice on you. Make your preparations, my lads. A fortune is waiting for us in Xian Ba.”
The sailors all let out a unified cheer of excitement before they started to go about the ship.
Rayko let out a brief sniff. “That was quite decent of you to tell them our cover. Thank you.”
Luxi waved her off. “Don’t get all chummy with me, you sad excuse for a socialite. I didn’t do it for you. I already said a fortune is waiting for us in the capital. This is nothing more than a business transaction. If you excuse me, I have to go do captain things. I’m sure you wouldn’t understand.”
“Sad excuse for a socialite?” Rayko asked. “I’ll have you know…get back here! I’m trying to insult you.”
Luxi walked away and started talking to one of the sailors. She laughed a little as the sailor told her about some of the preparations that were being made. Rayko sent daggers at Luxi’s back through her eyes.
“What the hell is her problem? River boat trash,” Rayko said. She turned a cruel eye on Nori. “She seems to like you quite a bit. How very interesting.”
Apisa wrapped Rayko in a sideways hug. “Don’t let it get you down. I remember when I first met you, I didn’t like you much either. I’m sure you’ll grow on her once she’s around you long enough. You’re really sweet once you get past your stuck up demeanor.”
Rayko rolled her eyes, but wrapped an arm around Apisa’s waist. “I certainly hope we’re not around that dreadful woman long enough for me to grow on her. I don’t like her one bit.”
Flara giggled. “I don’t know. She seems alright to me. And it’s good that she’s nice to Nori. I think more people need to be nice to him.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Rayko replied. Her discontented expression toward him softened. “I’m sorry for calling you a servant and such. I shouldn’t have been so abrasive and elitist. That was wrong of me. I was trying to be what I thought most royals would be like. Then again, I should have modeled myself more like sweet Flara here.”
All three girls had their attentions on him, and Nori’s skin itched. He had been taught to be in the background and remain inconspicuous. Even before the Qu-Tar training, he hated being closely examined. He beamed a weak smile.
“I forgive you,” Nori said. Even saying it caused massive spasms to explode in his intestines.
Still, Rayko seemed appeased enough. One of the sailors pulled up the gang plank leaned it against the side of the ship rail. Raoi returned as the ship started to ease away from the dock.
“I have your room ready, ladies,” Rao said. “I’ll be glad to take their stuff from you. Once I lead them to their accommodations, I’ll show you to an empty hammock. Don’t worry, no one will steal your stuff.”
“That’s good to hear,” Apisa said. “I’ve never actually been on a river boat before.”
“Really?” Raoi asked. “You don’t get river sick, do you?”
“What’s river sick?” Apisa asked.
Raoi chuckled a little, which caused Apisa to do the same. However, Apisa laughed with an I don’t know what’s so funny, but I don’t want to look silly manner. Raoi led Nori and the others to a set of stairs that went below deck. The stairs descended to a wide open space with three hallways extending off of it. The floors and walls were bare wood. A pleasant smell danced on the air, and Nori’s mouth salivated. Somewhere, someone cooked meat. Nori’s head barely missed grazing the top of the ceiling. A sudden wooziness twirled within his head. Nori took several low breaths. Thank Saito that none of the women noticed.
Raoi gestured to two of the hallways. “The one on the left leads to our primary cargo hold. The one on the right leads to our mess hall. That’s where we eat. You’ll be staying in our secondary cargo hold. Follow me.”
He led the group through the hallway directly ahead of them. The secondary cargo hold doorway stood halfway down the corridor. It was a smaller room, although large enough to accommodate all three of the mage students. A single hammock ran the length of the left, right and back walls. Raoi placed the women’s belongs in the middle of the room.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be showing our rather large friend here where he may set his belongs at,” Raoi said. “If you all have any questions, feel free to ask any of the crew. None of them will bother you, captain’s orders.”
“Thank you, s-sir,” Flara said. “We appreciate all of this.”
Raoi gave her a warm smirk before he moved further down the hallway. Nori silently trailed his wake, and had to duck his head to pass through the next doorway. They came to a larger space where dozens of hammocks were set up among numerous vertical posts.
Raoi grinned up at him. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an Onistan. I didn’t think your people left your mountain home much.”
“We don’t,” Nori replied. “Is it everything you hoped it would be?”
For a brief moment, Raoi just stared at him. “Oh, you mean meeting another Onistan? Ha! You have a little bit of a mouth on you. Not bad. If you’re half as tough as what Captain Alfana claimed you to be, then I can’t wait to see you in action.”
Nori narrowed his eyes. “Action? What are you talking about?”
“We’re bound to get in some trouble before we reach Xian Ba.” Raoi shook his head and let out a sigh. “Considering we’re braving the river during a Migration and we’re going to have to pass through the mountains.”
“I handled pirates on my voyage to Jadai,” Nori said. “They didn’t seem that bad.”
“If that’s the case, then you got lucky.” Raoi rested a hand on the haft of his axe at his side. “Most of the time, people don’t survive the pirate attacks. You must have had a hand in that ship’s survival.”
Nori shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess. So tell me, what can we expect from the Kappas? I’ve seen a few while sailing on the river before. They look like turtles with grass bowls on their heads. Hardly the reason for so much fear.”
Raoi said “I’ve never actually seen an enraged Kappa before, Saito be praised. I’ll be honest, I’m a little scared. I’ve heard stories of foolish people who have tried to sail the rivers during Migration times. Just like the pirates, the Kappas don’t usually leave survivors.”
“So then how do the pirates cope with them?” Nori
asked.
Raoi grinned a little wider. “They know ways to deal with Kappas. Don’t worry! Our captain does too. You’re in good hands.”
Raoi led Nori to a hammock that didn’t have any belongings beside, under, or in it.
“I’ve got some preparations to make before we leave harbor,” Raoi said. “Let me know if you need anything.”
The sailor scurried away, leaving Nori alone in the vast chamber. He placed his sacks and his lute case in the empty hammock. The water slapped on the outside of the boat, and the floor heaved ever so slightly along with the water. If Nori closed his eyes, he could almost feel the ship moving. So their journey to Xian Ba had finally begun.
“Dear Saito,” Nori said softly. “Please give me the strength to help Flara to the capital. Please help me to prevent the disaster in my dreams.”
WITH A BURST OF excitement, Tov summoned his wings and leapt into the air. A spear zipped past his shoulder, but Tov didn’t look back. He flapped his wings all the harder and climbed toward the open sky. An arrow whisked past his hip and sliced open his pants. A tinge of pain radiated throughout his skin. He soared higher. The temperature got chiller. Only when he hovered among the clouds did he stop and peer down at the small collection of Nekomata still shooting arrows at him. They couldn’t hit him from this height.
His stomach sank as he examined the state of the cat creatures. Rightfully so, they were angry. Tov had caused immense havoc among their people, and unbeknownst to them started a chain reaction that would lead to their destruction. Tov tossed down the blackened wand and watched it fall to the ground below. He touched the gem armband and sent his thoughts into it.
“The Nekomata have been dealt with. Soon, they won’t be in a state to help the humans.”
A cool breeze blew past him, and he shivered slightly. The sun had almost sunk below the horizon. Bright oranges and purples had been painted across the sky. Stars started to twinkle in various points. Tov’s body ached.
His master’s voices called out to him. “Very well done. Rest for tonight. Don’t exhaust yourself. Find the scrolls and the ones who carry it tomorrow. Be safe.”
“I will do as you command,” Tov replied. “Soon, nothing will stand in the way of your return.”
“Balance will be restored,” The Celestial Ones said. “All of those who sowed discord in the pattern will be punished. You and your people will be rewarded as you deserve.”
Tov waited for a few minutes to see if they would say anything else. When enough time passed, he started to fly along the river again. If his memory served him properly, the city of Cao Xi should be within traveling distance. He would rest there. Rest sounded so good at the moment.
The coolness of the night’s air caressed him. The forest continued to spread to his left. To his right, a desert stretched as far as the eye could see. After an hour of silent flying, the Jewel of the Desert came into view.
As Tov started to descend, his stomach radiated with violent tingles. To be honest, he had no idea what the green beams of magic would truly do to the poor Nekomata people. Tov only knew it would destroy them from the inside out. How many other races would have to die before his people could finally achieve what they deserved? Was he truly ready to embrace evil in order to make things right? As Tov landed on the banks of the north shore of the river, the answer slowly grew in his mind.
“NORI!!!”
In an instant, Nori shook awake and nearly fell from his hammock. Thank Saito he hadn’t screamed out. Despite his commotion, none of the other sleeping sailors had been disturbed. The accursed dream had assaulted him again. Nori’s bones still quivered in the absence of the images he had seen. With great determination, Nori gently eased himself out of the hammock. Judging from the expanse of darkness outside the port holes, it was still night. All of Nori’s senses sharpened and energy pumped through his limbs and torso.
He reached down and grabbed his lute case. Using all of the stealth training he had received, Nori snuck out of the sleeping hold and crept down the hallway. When he came to the secondary cargo hold, Nori stopped in the doorway and observed the three sleeping women. Flara slept against the right wall, Rayko took the back wall hammock, and Apisa laid in hammock along the left wall. Each of them possessed a kind of beauty only found in natural wonders of masterful works of art. Nori snuck past them.
He moved past the mess hall and saw a single lantern lit within. Nori poked his head in and noticed a stout sailor moving about the kitchen. Rather than bother the busy cook, Nori scampered up the stairs and stepped out under the starry heavens.
A pair of sailors stood at the helm while a third sailor sat atop the crow’s nest. As soon as Nori stepped out into the open, one of the sailors whispered out to him.
“Can’t sleep, big man?” The sailor asked.
Nori pointed toward the ship’s bow. “Do you mind if I play some music over there? I won’t be loud. I just need to clear my head.”
The sailors waved him on and went back to talking to one another. Nori crept over to the front of the ship and settled down against a rail so he faced the river. A soft harmony surrounded him. The ship passed through the water and created a constant rhythm. A gust blew around the vessel. In the distance, the grass swayed as the wind passed through it. Nori took out his lute and cleared his mind.
At first, like every other time he played, Nori allowed his fingers to simply strum. Delicate notes interweaved with the natural symphony around him. Every crescendo led to a heart chilling dip. As the individual notes blended together to form a heart-lifting harmony, Nori’s trepidation faltered. He breathed deeply as he went into a song his grandfather once sang to him. Even though Nori didn’t actually say the words, he heard his grandfather’s voice echo within him. A peculiar sensation started in the tip of his stomach. It grew up through his chest and filled his head with a discrete kind of lightness. While the feeling caught him off guard at first, he reveled in absence of his nightmare. He finished the song and then savored the delicious silence that followed it.
“You’re extremely loyal, you’re strong, and you play the lute?” Luxi asked. “Careful, my Onistan friend. A lady is liable to snatch you up.”
Luxi walked up from behind him, a kind of swagger in her step. She carried a bottle of something, but it looked to be only half full. She didn’t stand over him, but rested beside him against the rail. Her eyes turned to the view of the river bending around the bow of the ship.
Nori stared at her, but then she cocked an eye at him.
“Well?” Luxi asked. “What are you waiting for? Play.”
A sudden tickle climbed up Nori’s throat. He laughed a moment later. Luxi brought the bottle up to her lips. Before she took a drink, she licked the edges of the rim and then tipped the bottle back momentarily. A crimson liquid rushed out of the bottle and disappeared beyond the captain’s lips.
Nori placed his fingers on the neck of the lute. His fingers struck the right strings, and he went into an old Onistan love ballad. Its soft and airy nature cascaded around them. Once more, Nori’s troubled mind waned and made room for comfort. When he finished the song, Luxi passed him the bottle.
“My turn,” Luxi said. “Take a drink.”
As soon as Nori grabbed the bottle from her, Luxi pulled out a small flute from a side bag. She held the little instrument with great care. Her nimble fingers slowly traced over the holes, and she brought it up to her lips.
A hypnotic note hung in the air, and soon, more notes followed it. Luxi’s song sounded dreamy, as if it were a lullaby.
Nori brought the bottle to his lips and reared back his head. The edge of the bottle still looked a little shiny from where the captain had licked it. For a brief moment, Nori wondered if he should do the same. His cheeks grew hot.
Soon, his belly did as well. The liquid was definitely alcoholic. It had a cinnamon taste at first, but then a minty bite seconds after it struck his tongue. His throat and stomach awoke with such fervor. Nori’s eyes bulged
for a moment.
Luxi continued to play, but delight danced in her eyes. She finished her song and took the bottle back from him.
“So what’s the matter with you?” Luxi asked. “Can’t sleep or something?”
Nori winced. The light between them was quite poor, aside from the brilliance of the moon. Could she see his unease? “I just had a nightmare. I thought coming out here might clear my head and maybe make me drowsy.”
Luxi leaned back and gazed at the moon. “I love it out here. Whenever I’m feeling pissed off, sad, or sexually frustrated, I come out here and savor the night. So, what was your nightmare about?”
Nori followed her line of sight. Amidst the vast blackness of the night’s sky, a small white sphere hung effortlessly. It looked like a great celestial yin-yang symbol. His skin lurched with unnatural life. Every organ within him pulsated with some kind of weird energy. Whenever he peeked over at her, he felt his pulse jump. His lips felt excessively dry, so he licked them in hopes of easing their discomfort.
“I had a dream about home,” Nori said. “Only, it wasn’t the way I left it. Onista was utterly destroyed.”
Luxi said “You’re homesick then? When did you last see your beloved mountains?”
Nori sighed. “Five years.”
“Why haven’t you gone back since then?” Luxi asked.
“You already know I’m a Qu-Tar.” He let his fingers strum against his lute once. The discordant clash of notes danced on the air and soared away from the ship. “I was conscripted into Imperial service, and I only recently finished my training with them.”
Luxi peered over at him. “That sounds as wonderful as a horse kick to the crotch. How long did the training last?”
Nori chuckled. “Five years. The people in my cohort were trained extensively. After all, guarding royalty isn’t lightly given to the unprepared.”
Luxi took another swig of the drink and then passed it to Nori. When he hesitated, she jingled it in front of him. “Drink. If you’re having issues sleeping, then this will help.”
The Wrath Of the Forgotten Page 16